The Fight To Label Genetically Engineered Food (GMOs) Taking Place In Connecticut Legislature

Genetic Roulette, documentary about GMOs, movie trailer

There are two bills circulating in Connecticut, in this years legislature, concerning the labeling of genetically modified foods, House Bill 6519, AN ACT CONCERNING THE LABELING OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD, sponsored by Representative Phil Miller, and House Bill 6527, AN ACT CONCERNING GENETICALLY ENGINEERED BABY FOOD, introduced by Representative Diana Urban.  These bills would require the labeling of any food, infant formula, or baby food, that contains genetically engineered materials, with "the clear and conspicuous words: "Produced with Genetic Engineering"".

A similar bill was almost passed in last years legislative session, but was "eviscerated by lawyers", working for the state, who some believe, including Rep. Richard Roy, the original sponsor of the bill, were protecting the interests of the GMO manufacturing giant, Monsanto.  (Sidenote: The excuse gave by the state Department of Agriculture, for opposing the legislation, was that it would put Connecticut at a competitive disadvantage with other states that do not regulate labeling.)

The public awareness of the GMO issue, in my opinion, seems to be growing.  There is a push in Connecticut, by many grass roots organizations, like GMO Free CT, to get these two bills passed, and spread awareness of what GMO's are, and the dangers they may pose.  Free screenings of a new documentary about GMOs, Genetic Roulette (trailer at the top of the page), have been taking place all around Connecticut.  We Are Change CT caught up with one of the organizers of these events (video below), Beth Beisel, to talk about the two bills in circulation, genetically modified foods, how people can help this cause, and more.

Jeff Durkin, of We Are Change CT, interviews Beth Beisel, of GMO Free CT

There are a number of representatives co-sponsoring these two pieces of legislation, the list includes:

• Rep. David W. Kiner, 59th Dist.
• Rep. Rick Lopes, 24th Dist.
• Rep. Philip J. Miller, 36th Dist.
• Rep. Brenda L. Kupchick, 132nd Dist.
• Rep. Tony Hwang, 134th Dist.
• Rep. Edwin Vargas, 6th Dist.
• Rep. James Maroney, 119th Dist.
• Rep. Elizabeth A. Boukus, 22nd Dist.
• Rep. Kim Rose, 118th Dist.
• Rep. John H. Frey, 111th Dist.

If you support the labeling of GMO foods, and want to make your voice heard in this debate, you can find out who your local representative is, contact them, and let them know you would like them to be in support of these two bills.  A few phone calls, or e-mails, to a local representative make a difference.  Also, the public hearing for HB 6519 will be held on Friday, March 15th, in front of the Public Health Committee.  The hearing is beginning at 10:30 AM at the Legislative Office Building, 300 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT.  Showing up at this hearing, and voicing your opinion, will make a difference.  The organization, GMO Free CT, will have "Right To Know GMO" pins for everyone to wear, at this hearing.

Pushing for more government intervention into the free-market, as this bill seemingly is doing, is the antithesis of my usual libertarian leaning political views, however, because food is already required to be labeled with ingredients, nutritional facts, etc., I believe it is only right that this requirement include a label on items containing these potentially dangerous materials, known as GMOs.

One potential problem that I do see arising from these bills is the effect it may have on a small business, who may not be sure they are using GMOs in their product, and get a large fine as a result.  However, after reading through the bills, I came across one section in House Bill 6527, that provides protection to a small business owner, ignorant of the GMO issue:

 (1) such infant formula or baby food shall not be considered misbranded if it is produced by a person who (A) was without knowledge that such infant formula or baby food was created with materials that were partially or entirely produced with genetic engineering, and (B) obtains a sworn statement from the party that sold such materials to such person that such materials have not been knowingly genetically engineered and have not been knowingly commingled with any genetically engineered materials

There have been past reports on the dangers of genetically modified food ingredients, like Aspartame, which has been linked to diseases like Leukemia and Lymphoma, and scientifically manipulated sweeteners, like High Fructose Corn Syrup, which has been linked to obesity.  Pepsi even plans to begin using an artificial sweetener, made utilizing kidney cells from an aborted baby, in their products.  Even growing genetically modified organisms can be dangerous.  Farmers in India are blaming the genetically modified BT cotton seed for rashes, itching, and dead cattle.

Some people believe that eating Organic food, free of GMO and pesticides, is all hype, and there is no benefit, but the elite of this country, and world, think otherwise.  In my article, While You Eat Poison, The Elite Eat Organic, I point out that a big secret among the extremely wealthy elite of this world, is that many of them only eat Organic food.  The British Royal family, The Clintons, Bush's, Obama's, The Chinese Communist Party Leadership, and much more, prefer, and sometimes only eat, organic.

**UPDATE**:  Breaking News! Connecticut passes GE Labeling Bill for Baby Foods out of committee! Today the Committee on Children voted 11 to 1 in favor of House Bill 6527, An Act Concerning Genetically Engineered Baby Food, that would require the labeling of foods fed to infants that contain genetically engineered ingredients.  Representative Whitt Betts was the only member of the Committee on Children to vote "nay".

Related Stories:

• Know Your Reps! CT State Senator Joe Markley Wants Fluoride Out Of The Water, and A Ban On Mandatory Flu Shots - March 08, 2013 (link)
• CT State Senator Steve Cassano Wants Traffic Enforcement "Photographers" Taking Pictures Of You In Your Car - March 06, 2013 (link)
• Red Light Cameras In Connecticut; Corruption, Agenda 21 & the Rockefellers - March 01, 2013 (link)
• Do NOT Use Water with Added-Fluoride For Your Baby - January 20, 2013 (link)
• TV Doctors Are Paid To Push Drugs and Vaccines - January 16, 2013 (link)
• Pepsi Claims Their New Soda "Pepsi Special" Will Make You Lose Weight - November 14, 2012 (link)

Yale University Researcher Warns of Artificial Sweeteners Risk; Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes

Dana Small is a neuropsychology researcher at Yale University, in New Haven, CT.  This week, she is out warning people about the potential risk that may come along with consuming artificial sweeteners.  Small, and other researchers, believe artificial sweeteners interfere with brain chemistry and hormones that regulate appetite and satiety.

Susan Swithers, a psychology professor at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., studies behavioural neuroscience. "Exposure to high-intensity sweeteners could change the way that sweet tastes are processed," she says.  "A number of epidemiological studies show that people who do consume high intensity sweeteners show differences in metabolic responses, have an increased risk for things like Type 2 diabetes and also have an increased risk for overweight and obesity."

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), researchers in France who followed the drinking habits of 66,000 women for 14 years reported that both regular and diet pop increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, but the risk was higher among diet drinkers — 15 per cent higher for consumption of as little as 500 ml per week and 59 per cent higher for those having 1.5 litres per week.

I have documented previous studies that seemed to link artificial sweeteners with diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, and obesity.  I believe we should be consuming organic, non-gmo, foods and beverages, and staying away from food products created in a laboratory.

Related Stories:

-  High Fructose Corn Syrup Could Be Making You Fat (link)
-  Pepsi Claims Their New Soda "Pepsi Special" Will Make You Lose Weight (link)
-  While You Eat Poison, The Elite Eat Organic (link)
-  Monsanto's Genetically Modified Cotton Seed Causing Major Health Concerns In India (link)
-  The Artificial Sweetner "Aspartame" Is Linked To Leukemia And Lymphoma In New Landmark Study On Humans (link)
-  What Do Aborted Fetuses and Pepsi Have In Common ? (link)

High Fructose Corn Syrup Could Be Making You Fat

In a recent study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a team of scientists have found that consuming fructose effects how our brains deal with hunger.  The study finds that the part of the brain that deals with feeling full, did not kick in, when consuming fructose.

Delia Quigley, of Care2.com, reports, "Scientists at the Yale University School of Medicine enlisted 20 adults who were each given 75g of pure glucose and another time 75g of fructose to drink. Their brains were scanned before and after consuming the drinks, leading to some interesting observations.  The glucose caused a reduced blood flow to the brain’s hypothalamus signaling that the body was satisfied and full; while the fructose caused an increase in blood flow signaling that it was not sated and wanted more."

The artificial sweetener High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is genetically modified to decrease glucose, and increase fructose.  From Wikipedia, HFCS "comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce a desired sweetness." 

In the past, I have written many times about the benefits of Organic food and the dangers of genetically modified products, like High Fructose Corn Syrup.  For example, Aspartame, another artificial sweetener used in many of today's products, has been linked to Leukemia and Lymphoma.  Also, the Pepsi Co. is working with a company named Senomyx, that produces an artificial sweetener, using kidney cells from an aborted baby, and will soon use this product in their beverages.  Finally, the infamous corporation Monsanto, genetically modified a cotton seed that is engineered to produce an insecticide which breaks open the stomach of insects and kills them, but the Indian farmers that are forced to used this BT cotton seed are telling of rashes and other problems working with the genetically modified crop. 

While the majority of the public eat food filled with harmful additives and poisonous pesticides, many top politicians, and celebrities, only eat Organic, and completely avoid genetically modified products, like High Fructose Corn Syrup.

The first lady, Michelle Obama, in 2008, even called High Fructose Corn Syrup "poison", in an interview with The New Yorker, as she was telling how her family had shifted to eating organic meals.  Her husband, President Barack Obama, in 2007, promised, if elected, he would force companies to label their product "GMO", if it contained genetically modified ingredients.  Not only did he not do this, Obama has placed many people with connections to the genetically modifying food company Monsanto, in high level regulatory positions.  In the first three years of the Obama Administration, 10 different genetically engineered crops, and even a genetically modified animal, have been approved by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), according to Food & Water Watch.

Pepsi Claims Their New Soda "Pepsi Special" Will Make You Lose Weight

Pepsi Co. has begun selling their new product "Pepsi Special" in Japan. The additive that is supposed to make you lose weight is a genetically modified artificial sweetener named dextrin, or maltodextrin.  The claim is that dextrin is "a fat-blocking fiber that is supposed to keep the body from absorbing fat and lower cholesterol levels."  Critics claim that the dextrin acts like a laxative, and that is how you actually lose the weight.

Apart from whether or not you can actually lose weight from drinking this, the argument should be about the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).  I have reported how another GMO artifical sweetener, Aspartame, has been linked to leukemia and lymphoma.  I believe scientists have gone too far with modifying our plants and animals, and is causing major problems in our environment.  We should try to eat natural, organic foods as much as possible.

While You Eat Poison, The Elite Eat Organic

I try to eat ORGANIC as much as I can.  I get criticized by friends and families with the typical statements, "it's all the same", and "your wasting your money", but I believe pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and gentically modified food is bad for you.  It appears that I am not alone.  The wealthiest and most powerful people on this planet, only eat Organic, or prefer it over any other option.  The same politicians that are passing laws, promoting the safety of scientifically altered food, are choosing to eat only Organic.  Here are a few examples, with links:

  The Romney Family

-  Mitt Romney, who actually has ties back to the company Monsanto, reportedly makes sure his own meals are nothing but organic. Reuters Steve Holland reports from Romney's airplane, "Everything's organic, I'm told, including the ingredients to Romney's favorite, peanut butter and honey sandwiches."  Ann Romney even credits a combination of organic foods and holistic medicine for turning her health around after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998.

What Do Aborted Fetuses and Pepsi Have In Common ?

Pepsi plans to begin using an artificial sweetener, made from kidney cells from an aborted baby, in their products!  Here is how it is happening, with links.

In 2010, Pepsi Co. signed a 4 year, $30 million deal with a biotech company called Senomyx, for research and development of sweet enhancers.  This company Senomyx produces their sweetener by "using HEK-293 - human embryotic kidney cells taken from an electively aborted baby."  On October 1, 2011, the FDA awarded Senomyx a GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) determination for their new S9632 flavor ingredient.  Pepsi plans to begin using Senomyx in their products starting in 2013.

I was once told the 1973 movie "Soylent Green" is more true a picture of the future than you would think.  In  this movie, the people are all eating a substance they call Soylent Green, at the end of the movie, you discover that Soylant Green is actually made from the "old" people they euthanize!  Here is the trailer to "Soylant Green"